These keto white chocolate cranberry cookies offer all the chewiness you love in a classic cookie, combined with the delightful flavors of creamy white chocolate and tart cranberries. If you're on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, you might think cookies are off-limits, but this recipe proves otherwise. Perfect for the holidays or any time of year, these cookies are easy to make and satisfyingly delicious.
Why Keto Cookies?
Embarking on a low-carb journey doesn't mean sacrificing your favorite treats. These keto white chocolate cranberry cookies allow you to indulge without the guilt. This recipe started off as a traditional Christmas cookie recipe that I made every year. So I decided to convert it to keto and I am SO happy I did. By using alternative flours and sweeteners, you can enjoy a classic holiday treat without derailing your dietary goals. These tender keto almond flour cookies are studded with white chocolate chips and cranberries. A classic holiday treat goes low carb and sugar-free!
Key Ingredients and Considerations
Sugar-Free Dried Cranberries
Since store-bought dried cranberries are often loaded with sugar, making your own sugar-free version is essential for keeping these cookies keto-friendly. The first thing I had to do was make some sugar-free dried cranberries since the store bought kind are full of sugar which equals a ton of carbs.
Keto-Friendly White Chocolate
Finding suitable white chocolate for keto baking can be challenging. I had to get very creative making an acceptable keto chocolate for these white chocolate cranberry cookies. I had attempted many vegan and keto white chocolate recipes that either crystallized, created a grainy texture, or used non-keto sweeteners. Lily's white chocolate chips are a popular choice, as they are sweetened with erythritol and stevia and have only 2g net carbs per serving.
Almond Flour
Almond flour forms the base of these cookies, providing a tender and slightly nutty flavor. The base of the cookie is the same but the add-ins differ. So you get the same thick, chewy consistency that everyone loves. For the best texture, use blanched superfine almond flour. I suggest weighing the almond flour for this recipe because it really does make a difference. Too much flour means the cookies won’t spread enough, and too little flour makes them too thin and crispy.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Sweeteners
Choosing the right sweetener is crucial for keto baking. There are so many different sweeteners on the market these days and it can be pretty confusing! I tend to stick with erythritol, allulose, BochaSweet, and a little stevia here and there. But they don’t all bake the same way and subbing one for another can affect the texture of your baking. Swerve Brown, a brown sugar replacement, adds moisture and richness to the cookies. High Key Sweetener, which is twice as sweet as regular sugar, is also a viable option.
Nuts (Optional)
Macadamia nuts or walnuts can add a delightful crunch and flavor to these cookies. These cookies feature sugar free white chocolate chips, unsweetened dried cranberries and perfectly toasted macadamia nuts. However, be mindful of nut consumption on a keto diet, as some nuts are higher in omega-6 fats and may be "suspect" on stricter versions of the diet.
Recipe: Keto White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
This recipe combines the best of both worlds: the comforting taste of traditional cookies with the health-conscious ingredients of a keto diet.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond flour, super finely ground
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Swerve sweetener, brown
- 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Magic Baker zero sugar baking blend
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour, finely ground
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 88 grams white chocolate style baking chips, Lily's no sugar added
- 1/2 cup sugar-free dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- 1 ounce roasted salted macadamia nuts, chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions:
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 325ºF (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Don't crowd the cookies, so use 2 baking sheets if necessary.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together well. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, Brown Swerve, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together room temperature butter, sweeteners, and vanilla until well mixed and lightened in color.
- Incorporate Wet and Dry: Add the egg, beating the mixture on low speed. Gradually pour in the almond flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add melted, butter, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the dry ingredients and combine. Continue to add heavy cream until the dough comes together.
- Add Mix-Ins: Stir in the white chocolate style chips, roughly chopped cranberries, and chopped macadamia nuts. Stir in the cranberries, the walnuts, and half of the white chocolate chips.
- Chill Dough: Chill the mixture for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Form Cookies: Using a medium (1.5 tablespoons) cookie dough scoop, drop dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, evenly spaced.
- Flatten Cookies: Carefully press the balls down to flatten. Press the balls down to about ¾ inch thick with the palm of your hand. Don't press down too much as these cookies will spread a bit on their own.
- Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until puffed and golden brown around the edges. Rotate baking sheets half way through the baking time for even baking. They will still be very soft.
- Add Remaining Chocolate: Remove from the oven and press the remaining white chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before moving to cooling racks to fully cool. Cookies are crumbly before being fully cooled. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan.
Tips for Perfect Keto Cookies
- Use Cold Butter: The success of these cookies depends on the butter being very cold when it goes into the oven. If the butter is cold, the cookie dough is correctly formed and will create perfect, soft, chewy cookies. If the butter is soft, it will spread very thin as it bakes.
- Don't Overbake: For soft, chewy cookies you must remove the cookies from the oven BEFORE they are completely cooked through. This is why the instructions say to remove when “lightly set”. After removing from the oven, the cookie pan is still warm enough to finish cooking the cookie. Do not overbake the cookies.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Finely Ground Almond Flour: As always, use a finely ground almond flour for the best consistency.
- Sweetener Choice: These cookies turn out best with Swerve Brown. You can use other sweeteners but I simply can’t guarantee the results. Allulose and BochaSweet may make them much softer and more cake-like.
Storage Instructions
Store the cookies in a covered container on the counter for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 10 days. Cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for about 5 days.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs will not be included as it has a glycemic index of 0 (meaning it does not spike blood sugar) and it’s not metabolized. Only 3.5g net carbs per serving.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
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